Operatives amazed by Stockton's drug trade

ATF agents share insights into Operation Gideon IV

STOCKTON - An ATF spokeswoman hustled two of her agency's most experienced undercover operatives into a room on the second floor of the Stockton Police Department's Investigations Building, and quickly closed the door.

STOCKTON - An ATF spokeswoman hustled two of her agency's most experienced undercover operatives into a room on the second floor of the Stockton Police Department's Investigations Building, and quickly closed the door.

The agents introduced themselves using only their first names before settling into two office chairs at the center of the room. There were some questions the agents couldn't answer, but they spent nearly 35 minutes sharing insights into their work on Operation Gideon IV, a joint mission between the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"When we come in here, a lot of times we don't want to come off like we're from the area where we're working," said one of the two agents, who were made available on the condition that they not be identified.

"We have to come up with a story about why we're passing through the area, and the thing about Stockton that worked real well was that Stockton is a hub for narcotics trafficking, in particular methamphetamine. You've got Interstate 5, which is a major corridor for narcotics, so you could put yourself in a role where you're coming through this town to get a source for methamphetamine, and then you're shipping it somewhere else."

One of the agents is from the West Coast. The other is from the East Coast. Both have traveled across the country doing undercover work for the ATF since 1990, and neither has ever seen a city with a more abundant supply of methamphetamine.

"I was just amazed by the narcotics here in Stockton," the West Coast agent said. "Methamphetamine is so prevalent here, it's unheard of. I've worked all over the U.S., and in a major city like Los Angeles, you would buy a sample of methamphetamine, and it might be an ounce. Here in Stockton, a quarter-pound sample was the norm, and you've got guys riding up on bicycles to deliver it to you."

The East Coast agent agreed, saying drug trafficking has contributed to the rise of violent crime in Stockton, which established all-time highs with 56 homicides in 2011 and 71 in 2012.

"Drugs and violence go hand in hand," he said. "One follows the other, and I've never been in an environment where the supply of methamphetamine was so rich that you can just get it at a moment's notice. We can make a phone call and get something within an hour or two hours."

Operation Gideon IV targeted some of Stockton's most violent criminals. The operation resulted in 55 arrests, 84 firearm seizures and the confiscation of 36 pounds of methamphetamine, 23 pounds of marijuana, 10 ounces of Ecstasy, 100 grams of heroin and 55 grams of crack cocaine, authorities said. ATF Special Agent in Charge Joe Riehl said the mission involved intelligence gathering, data analysis and covert operations. In many cases, agents infiltrated Stockton crime circles, using confidential informants to contact known criminals to plan drug deals, robberies and other crimes.

"We have some of the best undercover operatives out there dealing with violent criminals," Riehl said. "These agents know how to establish the elements of the crime and present them to the U.S. Attorney's Office, and that is one of the main tools we used in this particular operation with a great deal of success. It's safe to say that our agents did interact quite often with the criminal element in an effort to engage them and see if, in fact, they were committing crimes."

"That's just the nature of this job," he said. "We've had situations where agents have been shot while doing these undercover operations. We take every precaution we can to make sure people are safe, but that risk is always there."

The agents who spoke to The Record said they have to be confident, convincing and comfortable in their roles when working undercover. One mistake could endanger their lives or compromise the case, they said.

"If you're going to portray yourself as a narcotics trafficker, you better know all the terminology and you better know the weights," the West Coast agent said. "If you're going to be a firearms trafficker, you better know firearms, because the criminals know this stuff, and they're going to pick up on it immediately if you don't know. Granted, a lot of these guys aren't college graduates, but when it comes to street smarts and how the criminal world works, they've got a master's (degree) in that."

Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said his officers learned from watching the ATF work, particularly the two officers who were assigned to Operation Gideon IV.

"That four-month period was a major crash course for our officers," Jones said. "We have some very solid folks who do undercover work here, but these agents brought a level of expertise that we've never seen, and our officers will definitely be able to glean some techniques from them.

"They're the nation's experts in what they do, so they were able to make contact with these groups that we probably wouldn't have been able to (infiltrate) otherwise. They looked the part, they have the expertise, they know how to talk, and they're put in some very dangerous situations. You have to be calm under pressure because they're doing some very serious undercover work."